Editorial: Enough talking already - vote on campaign donation limits

Whether the topic is the deteriorating Government Center, the Valley View Nursing Home or the legislative district maps, they know how to put off decisions.

Now, the same tendency to wait until the next meeting instead of voting today is infecting the attempt to help reduce the influence of big money in county elections.

Anyone looking for evidence that there is big money involved need only note that the county executive, Ed Diana, started the year with $400,000 in his campaign account. There's no telling how much higher it would have gone had he not decided to retire at the end of this year.

This week, as July was drawing to a close, a county committee took up a proposal introduced by Legislator Mike Anagnostakis in May. It would limit the amount that a business hoping to do business with the county could donate to candidates for county executive, for other county offices that award contracts, or to legislators who vote on them.

There has been some good discussion about where the burden should fall — on the candidate receiving the money, a person who might already be in office, or on the business making the donation.

There was good discussion about the dollar amount that would be allowed — perhaps $75, or as much as $250. There was equally good discussion about the time limits on such donations. If a business gives money to a candidate, should that business be able to try for a county contract after two years, or after four years, which is the length of many elective terms?

After all that talk, after studying the original proposal, the revisions suggested and explained by the Legislature's own attorney and after hearing arguments on all sides of these rather simple numbers, legislators did what they do so well and so often.

They decided to put off a vote and to come back again next month, perhaps for a vote — more likely for more talk and more delay.

If there are legislators who do not want to impose limits on businesses giving money to candidates and then using the good will that such money buys to seek advantages in getting lucrative contracts from the county, then let them say so and vote no.

If there are legislators who want the limit raised to $500 or $1,000 or $10,000, let them say so and call for a vote.

If some want to put the burden back on the business or reduce or extend the amount of time that the prohibition will be in place, let them offer those suggestions and see if they can get enough support.

Come the next meeting next month, let them rehash all these details and vote yes or no. Then, those who are seeking re-election can go to the voters and explain why they voted the way they did.

As for those who decide that they can put off this decision as they have put off so many others — voters should respond in kind, promising to hold off any vote for them until sometime in December.

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